By Muhammad Amaan
Rotary International said it will donate $7 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for eradication and disease prevention in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement by the Co-coordinator, Rotary International Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the visit of its President, Mr Gordon Mclnally, to Nigeira said.
The Co-coordinator, Prof. Emmanuel Lufadeju said the president is expected in Nigeria on a three-day working visit from March 15 to March 17.
He said that during the visit the Rotary President might have audience with President Bola Tinubu to discuss on assistance on disease control, child and maternal health.
Lufadeju expressed optimism that the visit would enhance existing ties between the Federal Government and the Rotary International.
“The visit is to cement the already existing bond between the federal government, the WHO, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and other stakeholders.
“Nigeria is the awardee of the 2nd ‘Programme of Scale (PoS)’ with a 42 million grant, for the improvement of maternal and child health code named; ‘Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria.
“Recently, a new grant amounting to 14 million dollars was given by Rotary, through the WHO to Nigeria to enable WHO provide technical assistance on polio surveillance.
“The grant was also a support to avert a resurgence of wild polio as well as to eradicate the Circulating Variant Poliovirus Type 2 (CVPVD2) in the country,” Lufadeju said.
According to him, Nigeria is a priority nation to Rotary International, with four rotary districts which are expected to increase to six by July 1, 2024, because of the phenomenal growth in its membership.
This, he said, would make Nigeria the country with the highest number of districts in Africa as well as the highest contribution in humanitarian giving in the Africa Zone.
Lufadeju said because of the special recognition given to Nigeria, the President of Rotary had the longest duration of stay in the country during his Africa Hope Tour.
